InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Saira ❯ Albums and the Return to the Well ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Kalira of the Flames 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Mystery / Fantasy / Comedy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.23.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 256 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Mystery / Fantasy / Comedy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.23.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 256 | Status: Work In Progress
*DISCLAIMER* I don' own Inuyasha. Puh.
~Saira~
Chapter 3: More Albums and Back to the Well
Myike woke up on the floor in the morning to find that he was once again not in his loft at home. Damn, he thought to himself. I really miss having Kirara to warm me up. Maybe Saira would . . . nah. He squinted his eyes at the burning sunlight streaming through the window. It must've been near noon already.
Wait. Saira . . she had found out that her parents were . . .That's right, we're in future world according to that spiky haired guy. His name was . . uh . . .Souta?
Myike looked around the decidedly not fuedal-era room.
I'm STILL dreaming! That's a little weird. Maybe it was real.
He got up off the floor in the center of the small room where he had finally collapsed the night before surrounded by interesting future stuff. He could tell that a lot of things, including the stereo, which Souta had said were paired up with the shiny rainbow colored discs that were scratched and shattered against the walls, were broken. Wow, he thought. I really did a number on this place. I was only trying to see how the big box and discus' went together. They really don't glide very well. I wonder what all the shiny black boxes were for.
I'd better get outta here and back home quick. Like pop always says, never let them catch you at the scene of the crime. He looked through the only window in Souta's room which was already open and looked down. There was a large sakura tree out of it that he could have easily climbed down without risking waking up Souta by walking out the front door. He was tempted, but his fear got the better of him and decided it looked a little shaky. He was about to go tiptoe through the living room and out to freedom when he noticed a shade of blue among the leaves. He leaned out the window a bit to get a closer look and nearly fell out of it when he saw what was up it.
~*~
Saira had gotten up before dawn and watched the sunrise still clutching the photo in her hand, frame and all on the window seat. She had no more thoughts, just stared into oblivion.
Her uncle had awoken at that point too. He came into her mother's bedroom to check on her, sat down on the bed, and watched it as well. The trance of the morning light was soon broken as he eyed her tangled hair, mud spotted and ripped robes that once could have once been considered white, and unhappy expression.
"You look alot like her you know, aside from the eyes you could have been twins." Saira didn't look up or respond. "Especially in those clothes." he continued, unperturbed. "The first time she had come back through the well from fuedal Japan she had clothes like yours on and she was an absolute wreck. She had only been there two days and had already found out more about magic and her ancestry than she ever wanted to know. Also like you."
Suddenly and without warning Saira turned her lopsided canine grin on him. "Are you saying I look like a wreck?" Souta looked sheepish and averted his eyes afraid he would burst out laughing.
Noticing his inner struggle about her appearance she easily switched topics. "Seriously, I would change out of these, but I don't have any other clothes with me. Its too bad, I would like to stay a few days more. I want to find out more about my parents lives and their . . . disappearances. Basicly anything and everything about this world and them that you can tell me." She smiled faintly and stared back out the window waiting for him to respond.
Well, while my niece is here, I should show her a few things, Souta thought. Kagome would never forgive me if her daughter never went to a festival or tasted some of our family recipe Oden. "A tour it is! I'll make all the arrangements today to gallivant around Tokyo, but first things first . . ." First thing is to get her into some decent clothes.
Souta showed her the large wooden chest and closet where her mother had kept her old clothes, insisting she get out of her soiled things. Then he went downstairs to use the telephone, some type of magic that you could use to talk to people that were even miles away. He'd tried to explain how it worked to her but she got bored and still didn't understand it.
After trying on many different dresses and skirts, working the alarming amounts of complicated zippers and tabs that helped the clothes to fit snugly, Saira picked out a reasonable looking skirt. It was straight black and covered most of her thighs. At least it wasn't as short as some of the others.
Why would anyone wear a skirt THAT short? she thought eyeing a green pleated one that she was sure she had seen Kagome wearing in her picture.
I would never wear something like that. I'm sure Myike would have a ball, but no.
After examining herself in the mirror and making sure she liked how it looked on her, she picked out a navy blue short sleeved tee and brushed her smoky hair out and into a ponytail like Sango had taught her for the summer months with a matching hair tie.
She peered at herself in the mirror above the writing desk, and smiled, despite herself. Souta was right. She could see some of the smiling girl from the pictures looking out at her. Aside from the eyes, she thought. The eyes of my father.
She straightened herself out, and after a bit grabbed her picture and headed for downstairs, sword belt at her side.
She walked down the hallway and checked on Myike. He was still sleeping in Souta's room. It was still early, only nine o'clock, but it was late for him to be sleeping.
Must've tired himself out playing with all this future stuff. I thought I heard a few crashes.
He looked almost angelic with his eyes shut and his hands to himself. Saira grabbed a blanket from the high bed and put it over him where he was on the floor. She hoped Souta wouldn't hurt him too much when he saw his room. Souta looked like an easy going guy, but who knew when personal belongings were involved.
She padded down the stairs quickly, but stopped dead in the living room about twenty feet from the kitchen.
Something smelled heavenly.
Through the doorway she could see that Souta was done talking to the telephone and was leaning over the oven where he had cooked their supper last night. He turned and smiled at her his spiky hair even more mussed if you could imagine it. Today, he was wearing another of his jungle/flower print shirts and the same shorts. He looked like he hadn't even taken two seconds to change.
Maybe he slept in that, she mused. And he said I looked like a wreck.
He nodded at her outfit in approval as she walked into the kitchen. Then, he noticed the katana strapped to her side.
"What's with the artillery?" he asked, grinning as she sauntered towards the stove where the aroma was coming from. She gave him a confused look and looked into the boiling pot. "The sword?" he tried again.
"I always have my sword with me." she replied absently. Then she grinned again. "Whatcha cookin'?"
Souta couldn't help but smile back remembering how much Inuyasha had loved . . "Ramen. Its freeze dried noodles. Pretty good, although its not typically a breakfast food. I hope you like-" he looked up from stirring as he was cut off.
"Hurry up and finish it. I'm hungry." she ordered.
At least she likes it. Its the only thing we have in the house right now anyway, he thought.
Saira eyed the noodles and grudgingly sat down at the table when it didn't seem to be cooking any faster. The smell of the spices in the broth was slowly driving her insane.
They sat down to a fairly early breakfast two minutes later, at least for Souta. Saira was definitely enjoying herself. Souta hid his smile in his napkin as she downed five bowls of the boiled noodles. "Mmmm. That was good." she hummed as she sipped up the rest of the broth.
"I could tell. The Higurashi house is now officially out of food." He gulped silently as she glared daggers at him. "Anyway, um, my girlfriend, Katy, might be coming this afternoon to pick up some stuff. I know she'd love to meet my niece. She's always complaining about how small my family is." he coughed. "I think its a subtle hint. And Mom will be coming back in a few days. She's on another long business trip to America. She just throws herself into her work. She misses them so much, Kagome and Jii-chan."
Noticing how Saira had started staring off into space at the mention of Kagome. He quickly changed the subject. "Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, I've got a suprise for you." He pulled a large leather-bound book from behind his back where he had been hiding it, waiting to give it to her.
"I couldn't sleep last night so I dug out nee-chan's old photo albums. I kinda put one together for you." He said giving her a small smile.
Kagome had only shown him her locked chest in the family closet where she had kept her precious albums after he had begged her for days. She was becoming a very private person then, and it was rare that she would show him anything from fuedal Japan anymore. But Souta had wanted to know everything about everything there. Maybe if he had forced her to tell him more about the dangerous quest she, Inuyasha, and the friends that she spoke of often, were undertaking . . .
"The last few months she was over there she got really into photography. Anyway, it might have some better pictures of your father than the one you have."
Saira instinctively tightened her grasp on the framed picture in her hand, but held her other out silently for the large book. She was definitely interested in seeing more pictures. They were her only link to her parents besides this strange young man. "Thanks."
Her heart tightened as she opened the book to the first page where several scenes were painted across each page. As she silently looked at them, she noticed the trend of the grumpy looking hanyou and glowing faced girl in every single one. By the river, in fields, and up trees the boy's expression never changed. He always had a permanent scowl, but his strange yellow eyes held the light of happiness and seemed to change his whole face around. Her parents looked almost happy together.
Inuyasha and Kagome.
Souta watched over her shoulder and recited a few stories his sister had told him about more of the unusual pictures. Like one with a nice view of a girl's shoe and the silver haired boy kissing the ground (SIT!!) and a giant bubble like thing that floated through the trees. Her favorite picture was of the boy with dog ears slurping up some familiar looking noodles out of a cup with the girl, for once she was not smiling but with a pert and annoyed look on her face, and was manually turning his head towards the viewer.
Ah, a likeness! she thought smiling thinking about the both of her parents.
Saira still didn't know many particulars about her parents' journey. Only that Inuyasha had been a dangerous demon and Kagome had somehow broken the seal on him and 'woke him up'. She had tamed him with a necklace and they had been forced to team up to find pieces of . . . something important.
Souta said he really didn't remember much about Inuyasha. He was only nine when his sister had started traveling through the well, her silver haired companion in tow. He did however remember the one time he had to play keep away with the pieces she and Inuyasha had been collecting when a flesh-eating mask attacked his home.
That was when Inuyasha had become his idol. He cut the mask in half before it bit Souta's head off. Kagome disappeared only two years later. He said that he lived off of her fantastic stories as a child, but that was all he could tell. He never knew why she never came back one year, but had assumed that she and Inuyasha had gotten married, or something to that effect. He never let himself doubt for a moment that she would ever come back or think that she had died in that place.
Saira had tears in her eyes as she came to the second to last page of the album. It was so unfair! Why was her family life messed up! Why hadn't her parents ever come back to raise her? Why did they leave her? Where could they have gone?
Through the tears she determined something.
It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I have a great family. I love Sango and Miroku for raising and loving me (Boy, are they in for a tantrum when I get home!) but I have to go find out what happened. It'll eat at me forever if I don't.
I'll do anything to know. I'll go on a journey, to find them or avenge them. Its not only for me. My mother's family never knew what happened either. She looked at Souta, who was looking through the album with her. He needed to know too. He seemed to love his sister alot.
I vow I will suck Miroku and Sango for all they know about my parents.
Her heart sunk again. But what if they don't know anything? What if I was just a foundling and all I have to go on are this man's faded memories? I wouldn't know the first place to look.
"And this," Souta said suddenly interrupting Saira's desperate thoughts and pointing to a figure on the last page, "is the lecher."
Saira burst out laughing and Souta looked at her strangely while continuing. "This was the only picture of the entire group I could find. I figured you would mostly want pictures of your family, but these are the um . . .people Kagome traveled with in your time, when she was younger. She loved talking about them. I think she had nicknames for a few of them too-" Saira just kept giggling and it finally burst forth into a joyful cackling. "Hey, I know its a little funny but that guy looks like he's going to be in pain."
Looking up at Saira through the page was the most ragtag bunch she'd ever seen.
Kagome stood in the center with her arms resting on Inuyasha's shoulders in a cheerfully restraining manner. She was dressed in her usual green outfit which Souta had explained was a school uniform and was beaming as usual. The boy had his arms folded across his chest and he was caught smirking, on the borderline of a true smile, in his usual red haori and pants. A little fox child, kitsune, with red hair and blue eyes was tugging at Kagome's leg looking worried.
His other hand was motioning towards the scene that had made Saira laugh for the first time in a long while. A young Sango stood proudly in her old exterminating uniform with Hiraikatsu in position. Not to exterminate youkai, but poised over a certain young monk who looked like he was about to be in serious trouble. He was grinning madly while grabbing Sango's backside and making a victory sign. Sango looked angry enough to kill but her eyes were smiling.
"Looks like Miroku got what was coming to him." she said still chuckling.
Souta looked amazed. "Wait a sec, you're saying you know them? How? Wow, what a coincidence." he smiled shaking his head.
"They're my foster parents." she explained pointing. "They got married and that brat upstairs trashing your room is their kid. We were raised together. Well, it looks like I don't have to worry about pumping them for information. It looks like they knew my real parents fairly well. They are SO in for it when I get home!"
"Wow, that's great! If you could, tell me what you find out when you go back. You have to keep visiting, and I'd really like to know too . . Wait! Myike's trashing my room!"
~*~
"Hey Myike. What's up?" Saira called to the startled human boy. She had heard him coming and caught him by his arm when he fell unceremoniously out the window, obviously after seeing her new look.
After breakfast, with three more of her mother's old photo albums in tow she had climbed the sakura tree in the back of the house to study them. Souta had explained that the pictures were instantaneous so they could have told her where the group had traveled to on their journey so she would know where to begin her search. She would ask Miroku and Sango too of course but she didn't know how long she would stay in the future and the pictures were also a comfort to her.
Myike looked a little dazed and tried to steady himself on a branch after falling from the window. He just stared at Saira. "Where did you get . . . good . . . clothes?" He eyed her bare legs and Saira calmly warned him not to stare.
"Close your mouth. You're drooling. And no you can't touch the skirt. No . . . I'm warning you . . . MYIKE! I can see your hand!" She pushed him out of the tree and he landed on the ground on his head. "Its not nice to not look at my face while I'm speaking to you, Hentai! You brat, you deserved that! No one gropes me!"
He twitched for a few seconds and then stood up, the blow to his head apparently knocking a little sense into him. "It wasn't my fault. I've been traumatized by all the near death experiences, heights, and trips in glowing light! I need to go home. I have to go home before-"
Myike and Saira looked to Souta's room as an inhuman howl interrupted his pleadings. "NOOOOOO!!!! What happened to my CDs!!!! Oh, my poor stereo!! Now I know why Kagome didn't like it when Inuyasha poked around in her stuff!! DAMMIT!! They don't have people-from-the-past insurance and I- dammit Myike! If I find you I WILL KILL YOU!!"
Saira nodded knowingly. "Oh. Before that happened? Its a bit late." Turning to the window. "He's out here Uncle Sou-!" With inhuman speed Myike scrambled up the tree and clamped his hands over her mouth. But it was too late. They heard the immediate door slam and pounding as Souta clambered down the stairs. "How dare you!" Saira screamed and she shoved him out of the tree again. The only safe haven that had been left him.
~*~
After a beating that Saira was in on, Myike was bound and gagged. Souta didn't want him touching anything else for a few hours. When Souta realized his girlfriend wasn't coming that day he left the house to go to the market for some much needed supplies, including a full stock of Ramen.
He left Saira in charge of her cousin and she tortured him with descriptions of food for a while before giving in and getting him some crackers and juice from the nearly empty pantry. He gobbled them up gratefully and cheerfully even when she flatly refused to feed them to him.
He was finally let go when Souta came back and Saira and him went through all the photo albums in the house while Souta made more Ramen for supper.
When she showed him the funny picture of his parents he cracked a smile through the black eye he had been given by Souta. Then he noticed something strange.
"Hey, Saira. Do you see that? The hand that's waving at us. Its gloved and sealed." His face scrunched up a bit in confusion. He sensed that it was important somehow.
Saira looked closer at the photo too. Light blue beads were wrapped around his purple gloved hand. "Hmm. You're right we'll have to ask when- SHIT!" Saira suddenly stood up straight from where she was sitting on Souta's couch examining her own hand. "We have to leave NOW!" Myike looked at her, concerned.
She ran through the kitchen into the sunset outside and looked to the sky. "OH SHIT!!" She repeated. "Why now? Why NOW?!" She ran back to the house muttering to herself and was met by two concerned young men at the door.
"Saira what's wrong?" Souta asked.
"Yeah, what's going on?" asked Myike with real fear in his eyes. Saira was never afraid, worried, or jittery like she was now. Something was really wrong.
"No time to explain!" she cried pushing past them. "Myike, we have to leave now. Grab your rosaries and my clothes. NOW!"
Myike didn't argue. She was dead serious. He rushed up the stairs and soon came back with the items and a few of the photo albums from the living room. Saira turned to Souta. "I really had a great time and everything but we really have to go now. I wish I could have stayed longer but I have no choice. Its dangerous for you if I stay here. We will take that tour later. I promise. I WILL come back. With REAL answers. I may have to take a real trip first, but I promise I will find out what happened to my parents. Good-bye, Uncle!" With that rapidly said Saira rushed out to the mini shrine that held the well with Myike at her heels.
"Make sure you do come back!" Souta shouted, watching her go to the well sadly. "Good-bye."
He watched her figure rush into the shrine. What was this all about? he asked himself silently as he made his way to phone to cancel the tour with Hojo. The shy kid from Kagome's school now owned a major tour bus company and had agreed as a favor to personally drive them around the city. Poor kid, he had been so excited to meet Kagome's daughter. Well, it isn't as if he hadn't been stood up by a Higurashi before. The poor boy had tried to date Kagome all through high school.
~*~
"Saira, tell me what's going on." Saira ignored Myike's concerned plea and jumped through the well praying to every god she knew that it would take her home.
What would she do if it didn't work-? but after Myike followed suit and jumped in, the inside of the well began to glow.
"You don't want to know." she replied darkly. Her hands ached as her already sharper than normal fingernails grew and sharpened to flesh-tearing claws and she felt the terrible burning as the purplish welts appeared at her neck.
***
Hey, its my first cliffhanger! Yay! Please review, but don't yell at me too much.
Thanks to Kokonutsu for being my first reviewer on MM.org! I'm so happy! *stars in eyes* I love reviews! Thanx for the compliments! (I went over each chapter at least twice to make sure it made sense and the spelling was okay. I'm obsessive over that stuff ^^;;)
My brother told me to put how I pronounce people's names at the end of the story *shrug* so:
Myike: M-yeek-kay
Saira: Say-ra
Yah, anyways. Hope you all are having a great summer! Until next time . . .
~Saira~
Chapter 3: More Albums and Back to the Well
Myike woke up on the floor in the morning to find that he was once again not in his loft at home. Damn, he thought to himself. I really miss having Kirara to warm me up. Maybe Saira would . . . nah. He squinted his eyes at the burning sunlight streaming through the window. It must've been near noon already.
Wait. Saira . . she had found out that her parents were . . .That's right, we're in future world according to that spiky haired guy. His name was . . uh . . .Souta?
Myike looked around the decidedly not fuedal-era room.
I'm STILL dreaming! That's a little weird. Maybe it was real.
He got up off the floor in the center of the small room where he had finally collapsed the night before surrounded by interesting future stuff. He could tell that a lot of things, including the stereo, which Souta had said were paired up with the shiny rainbow colored discs that were scratched and shattered against the walls, were broken. Wow, he thought. I really did a number on this place. I was only trying to see how the big box and discus' went together. They really don't glide very well. I wonder what all the shiny black boxes were for.
I'd better get outta here and back home quick. Like pop always says, never let them catch you at the scene of the crime. He looked through the only window in Souta's room which was already open and looked down. There was a large sakura tree out of it that he could have easily climbed down without risking waking up Souta by walking out the front door. He was tempted, but his fear got the better of him and decided it looked a little shaky. He was about to go tiptoe through the living room and out to freedom when he noticed a shade of blue among the leaves. He leaned out the window a bit to get a closer look and nearly fell out of it when he saw what was up it.
~*~
Saira had gotten up before dawn and watched the sunrise still clutching the photo in her hand, frame and all on the window seat. She had no more thoughts, just stared into oblivion.
Her uncle had awoken at that point too. He came into her mother's bedroom to check on her, sat down on the bed, and watched it as well. The trance of the morning light was soon broken as he eyed her tangled hair, mud spotted and ripped robes that once could have once been considered white, and unhappy expression.
"You look alot like her you know, aside from the eyes you could have been twins." Saira didn't look up or respond. "Especially in those clothes." he continued, unperturbed. "The first time she had come back through the well from fuedal Japan she had clothes like yours on and she was an absolute wreck. She had only been there two days and had already found out more about magic and her ancestry than she ever wanted to know. Also like you."
Suddenly and without warning Saira turned her lopsided canine grin on him. "Are you saying I look like a wreck?" Souta looked sheepish and averted his eyes afraid he would burst out laughing.
Noticing his inner struggle about her appearance she easily switched topics. "Seriously, I would change out of these, but I don't have any other clothes with me. Its too bad, I would like to stay a few days more. I want to find out more about my parents lives and their . . . disappearances. Basicly anything and everything about this world and them that you can tell me." She smiled faintly and stared back out the window waiting for him to respond.
Well, while my niece is here, I should show her a few things, Souta thought. Kagome would never forgive me if her daughter never went to a festival or tasted some of our family recipe Oden. "A tour it is! I'll make all the arrangements today to gallivant around Tokyo, but first things first . . ." First thing is to get her into some decent clothes.
Souta showed her the large wooden chest and closet where her mother had kept her old clothes, insisting she get out of her soiled things. Then he went downstairs to use the telephone, some type of magic that you could use to talk to people that were even miles away. He'd tried to explain how it worked to her but she got bored and still didn't understand it.
After trying on many different dresses and skirts, working the alarming amounts of complicated zippers and tabs that helped the clothes to fit snugly, Saira picked out a reasonable looking skirt. It was straight black and covered most of her thighs. At least it wasn't as short as some of the others.
Why would anyone wear a skirt THAT short? she thought eyeing a green pleated one that she was sure she had seen Kagome wearing in her picture.
I would never wear something like that. I'm sure Myike would have a ball, but no.
After examining herself in the mirror and making sure she liked how it looked on her, she picked out a navy blue short sleeved tee and brushed her smoky hair out and into a ponytail like Sango had taught her for the summer months with a matching hair tie.
She peered at herself in the mirror above the writing desk, and smiled, despite herself. Souta was right. She could see some of the smiling girl from the pictures looking out at her. Aside from the eyes, she thought. The eyes of my father.
She straightened herself out, and after a bit grabbed her picture and headed for downstairs, sword belt at her side.
She walked down the hallway and checked on Myike. He was still sleeping in Souta's room. It was still early, only nine o'clock, but it was late for him to be sleeping.
Must've tired himself out playing with all this future stuff. I thought I heard a few crashes.
He looked almost angelic with his eyes shut and his hands to himself. Saira grabbed a blanket from the high bed and put it over him where he was on the floor. She hoped Souta wouldn't hurt him too much when he saw his room. Souta looked like an easy going guy, but who knew when personal belongings were involved.
She padded down the stairs quickly, but stopped dead in the living room about twenty feet from the kitchen.
Something smelled heavenly.
Through the doorway she could see that Souta was done talking to the telephone and was leaning over the oven where he had cooked their supper last night. He turned and smiled at her his spiky hair even more mussed if you could imagine it. Today, he was wearing another of his jungle/flower print shirts and the same shorts. He looked like he hadn't even taken two seconds to change.
Maybe he slept in that, she mused. And he said I looked like a wreck.
He nodded at her outfit in approval as she walked into the kitchen. Then, he noticed the katana strapped to her side.
"What's with the artillery?" he asked, grinning as she sauntered towards the stove where the aroma was coming from. She gave him a confused look and looked into the boiling pot. "The sword?" he tried again.
"I always have my sword with me." she replied absently. Then she grinned again. "Whatcha cookin'?"
Souta couldn't help but smile back remembering how much Inuyasha had loved . . "Ramen. Its freeze dried noodles. Pretty good, although its not typically a breakfast food. I hope you like-" he looked up from stirring as he was cut off.
"Hurry up and finish it. I'm hungry." she ordered.
At least she likes it. Its the only thing we have in the house right now anyway, he thought.
Saira eyed the noodles and grudgingly sat down at the table when it didn't seem to be cooking any faster. The smell of the spices in the broth was slowly driving her insane.
They sat down to a fairly early breakfast two minutes later, at least for Souta. Saira was definitely enjoying herself. Souta hid his smile in his napkin as she downed five bowls of the boiled noodles. "Mmmm. That was good." she hummed as she sipped up the rest of the broth.
"I could tell. The Higurashi house is now officially out of food." He gulped silently as she glared daggers at him. "Anyway, um, my girlfriend, Katy, might be coming this afternoon to pick up some stuff. I know she'd love to meet my niece. She's always complaining about how small my family is." he coughed. "I think its a subtle hint. And Mom will be coming back in a few days. She's on another long business trip to America. She just throws herself into her work. She misses them so much, Kagome and Jii-chan."
Noticing how Saira had started staring off into space at the mention of Kagome. He quickly changed the subject. "Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, I've got a suprise for you." He pulled a large leather-bound book from behind his back where he had been hiding it, waiting to give it to her.
"I couldn't sleep last night so I dug out nee-chan's old photo albums. I kinda put one together for you." He said giving her a small smile.
Kagome had only shown him her locked chest in the family closet where she had kept her precious albums after he had begged her for days. She was becoming a very private person then, and it was rare that she would show him anything from fuedal Japan anymore. But Souta had wanted to know everything about everything there. Maybe if he had forced her to tell him more about the dangerous quest she, Inuyasha, and the friends that she spoke of often, were undertaking . . .
"The last few months she was over there she got really into photography. Anyway, it might have some better pictures of your father than the one you have."
Saira instinctively tightened her grasp on the framed picture in her hand, but held her other out silently for the large book. She was definitely interested in seeing more pictures. They were her only link to her parents besides this strange young man. "Thanks."
Her heart tightened as she opened the book to the first page where several scenes were painted across each page. As she silently looked at them, she noticed the trend of the grumpy looking hanyou and glowing faced girl in every single one. By the river, in fields, and up trees the boy's expression never changed. He always had a permanent scowl, but his strange yellow eyes held the light of happiness and seemed to change his whole face around. Her parents looked almost happy together.
Inuyasha and Kagome.
Souta watched over her shoulder and recited a few stories his sister had told him about more of the unusual pictures. Like one with a nice view of a girl's shoe and the silver haired boy kissing the ground (SIT!!) and a giant bubble like thing that floated through the trees. Her favorite picture was of the boy with dog ears slurping up some familiar looking noodles out of a cup with the girl, for once she was not smiling but with a pert and annoyed look on her face, and was manually turning his head towards the viewer.
Ah, a likeness! she thought smiling thinking about the both of her parents.
Saira still didn't know many particulars about her parents' journey. Only that Inuyasha had been a dangerous demon and Kagome had somehow broken the seal on him and 'woke him up'. She had tamed him with a necklace and they had been forced to team up to find pieces of . . . something important.
Souta said he really didn't remember much about Inuyasha. He was only nine when his sister had started traveling through the well, her silver haired companion in tow. He did however remember the one time he had to play keep away with the pieces she and Inuyasha had been collecting when a flesh-eating mask attacked his home.
That was when Inuyasha had become his idol. He cut the mask in half before it bit Souta's head off. Kagome disappeared only two years later. He said that he lived off of her fantastic stories as a child, but that was all he could tell. He never knew why she never came back one year, but had assumed that she and Inuyasha had gotten married, or something to that effect. He never let himself doubt for a moment that she would ever come back or think that she had died in that place.
Saira had tears in her eyes as she came to the second to last page of the album. It was so unfair! Why was her family life messed up! Why hadn't her parents ever come back to raise her? Why did they leave her? Where could they have gone?
Through the tears she determined something.
It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I have a great family. I love Sango and Miroku for raising and loving me (Boy, are they in for a tantrum when I get home!) but I have to go find out what happened. It'll eat at me forever if I don't.
I'll do anything to know. I'll go on a journey, to find them or avenge them. Its not only for me. My mother's family never knew what happened either. She looked at Souta, who was looking through the album with her. He needed to know too. He seemed to love his sister alot.
I vow I will suck Miroku and Sango for all they know about my parents.
Her heart sunk again. But what if they don't know anything? What if I was just a foundling and all I have to go on are this man's faded memories? I wouldn't know the first place to look.
"And this," Souta said suddenly interrupting Saira's desperate thoughts and pointing to a figure on the last page, "is the lecher."
Saira burst out laughing and Souta looked at her strangely while continuing. "This was the only picture of the entire group I could find. I figured you would mostly want pictures of your family, but these are the um . . .people Kagome traveled with in your time, when she was younger. She loved talking about them. I think she had nicknames for a few of them too-" Saira just kept giggling and it finally burst forth into a joyful cackling. "Hey, I know its a little funny but that guy looks like he's going to be in pain."
Looking up at Saira through the page was the most ragtag bunch she'd ever seen.
Kagome stood in the center with her arms resting on Inuyasha's shoulders in a cheerfully restraining manner. She was dressed in her usual green outfit which Souta had explained was a school uniform and was beaming as usual. The boy had his arms folded across his chest and he was caught smirking, on the borderline of a true smile, in his usual red haori and pants. A little fox child, kitsune, with red hair and blue eyes was tugging at Kagome's leg looking worried.
His other hand was motioning towards the scene that had made Saira laugh for the first time in a long while. A young Sango stood proudly in her old exterminating uniform with Hiraikatsu in position. Not to exterminate youkai, but poised over a certain young monk who looked like he was about to be in serious trouble. He was grinning madly while grabbing Sango's backside and making a victory sign. Sango looked angry enough to kill but her eyes were smiling.
"Looks like Miroku got what was coming to him." she said still chuckling.
Souta looked amazed. "Wait a sec, you're saying you know them? How? Wow, what a coincidence." he smiled shaking his head.
"They're my foster parents." she explained pointing. "They got married and that brat upstairs trashing your room is their kid. We were raised together. Well, it looks like I don't have to worry about pumping them for information. It looks like they knew my real parents fairly well. They are SO in for it when I get home!"
"Wow, that's great! If you could, tell me what you find out when you go back. You have to keep visiting, and I'd really like to know too . . Wait! Myike's trashing my room!"
~*~
"Hey Myike. What's up?" Saira called to the startled human boy. She had heard him coming and caught him by his arm when he fell unceremoniously out the window, obviously after seeing her new look.
After breakfast, with three more of her mother's old photo albums in tow she had climbed the sakura tree in the back of the house to study them. Souta had explained that the pictures were instantaneous so they could have told her where the group had traveled to on their journey so she would know where to begin her search. She would ask Miroku and Sango too of course but she didn't know how long she would stay in the future and the pictures were also a comfort to her.
Myike looked a little dazed and tried to steady himself on a branch after falling from the window. He just stared at Saira. "Where did you get . . . good . . . clothes?" He eyed her bare legs and Saira calmly warned him not to stare.
"Close your mouth. You're drooling. And no you can't touch the skirt. No . . . I'm warning you . . . MYIKE! I can see your hand!" She pushed him out of the tree and he landed on the ground on his head. "Its not nice to not look at my face while I'm speaking to you, Hentai! You brat, you deserved that! No one gropes me!"
He twitched for a few seconds and then stood up, the blow to his head apparently knocking a little sense into him. "It wasn't my fault. I've been traumatized by all the near death experiences, heights, and trips in glowing light! I need to go home. I have to go home before-"
Myike and Saira looked to Souta's room as an inhuman howl interrupted his pleadings. "NOOOOOO!!!! What happened to my CDs!!!! Oh, my poor stereo!! Now I know why Kagome didn't like it when Inuyasha poked around in her stuff!! DAMMIT!! They don't have people-from-the-past insurance and I- dammit Myike! If I find you I WILL KILL YOU!!"
Saira nodded knowingly. "Oh. Before that happened? Its a bit late." Turning to the window. "He's out here Uncle Sou-!" With inhuman speed Myike scrambled up the tree and clamped his hands over her mouth. But it was too late. They heard the immediate door slam and pounding as Souta clambered down the stairs. "How dare you!" Saira screamed and she shoved him out of the tree again. The only safe haven that had been left him.
~*~
After a beating that Saira was in on, Myike was bound and gagged. Souta didn't want him touching anything else for a few hours. When Souta realized his girlfriend wasn't coming that day he left the house to go to the market for some much needed supplies, including a full stock of Ramen.
He left Saira in charge of her cousin and she tortured him with descriptions of food for a while before giving in and getting him some crackers and juice from the nearly empty pantry. He gobbled them up gratefully and cheerfully even when she flatly refused to feed them to him.
He was finally let go when Souta came back and Saira and him went through all the photo albums in the house while Souta made more Ramen for supper.
When she showed him the funny picture of his parents he cracked a smile through the black eye he had been given by Souta. Then he noticed something strange.
"Hey, Saira. Do you see that? The hand that's waving at us. Its gloved and sealed." His face scrunched up a bit in confusion. He sensed that it was important somehow.
Saira looked closer at the photo too. Light blue beads were wrapped around his purple gloved hand. "Hmm. You're right we'll have to ask when- SHIT!" Saira suddenly stood up straight from where she was sitting on Souta's couch examining her own hand. "We have to leave NOW!" Myike looked at her, concerned.
She ran through the kitchen into the sunset outside and looked to the sky. "OH SHIT!!" She repeated. "Why now? Why NOW?!" She ran back to the house muttering to herself and was met by two concerned young men at the door.
"Saira what's wrong?" Souta asked.
"Yeah, what's going on?" asked Myike with real fear in his eyes. Saira was never afraid, worried, or jittery like she was now. Something was really wrong.
"No time to explain!" she cried pushing past them. "Myike, we have to leave now. Grab your rosaries and my clothes. NOW!"
Myike didn't argue. She was dead serious. He rushed up the stairs and soon came back with the items and a few of the photo albums from the living room. Saira turned to Souta. "I really had a great time and everything but we really have to go now. I wish I could have stayed longer but I have no choice. Its dangerous for you if I stay here. We will take that tour later. I promise. I WILL come back. With REAL answers. I may have to take a real trip first, but I promise I will find out what happened to my parents. Good-bye, Uncle!" With that rapidly said Saira rushed out to the mini shrine that held the well with Myike at her heels.
"Make sure you do come back!" Souta shouted, watching her go to the well sadly. "Good-bye."
He watched her figure rush into the shrine. What was this all about? he asked himself silently as he made his way to phone to cancel the tour with Hojo. The shy kid from Kagome's school now owned a major tour bus company and had agreed as a favor to personally drive them around the city. Poor kid, he had been so excited to meet Kagome's daughter. Well, it isn't as if he hadn't been stood up by a Higurashi before. The poor boy had tried to date Kagome all through high school.
~*~
"Saira, tell me what's going on." Saira ignored Myike's concerned plea and jumped through the well praying to every god she knew that it would take her home.
What would she do if it didn't work-? but after Myike followed suit and jumped in, the inside of the well began to glow.
"You don't want to know." she replied darkly. Her hands ached as her already sharper than normal fingernails grew and sharpened to flesh-tearing claws and she felt the terrible burning as the purplish welts appeared at her neck.
***
Hey, its my first cliffhanger! Yay! Please review, but don't yell at me too much.
Thanks to Kokonutsu for being my first reviewer on MM.org! I'm so happy! *stars in eyes* I love reviews! Thanx for the compliments! (I went over each chapter at least twice to make sure it made sense and the spelling was okay. I'm obsessive over that stuff ^^;;)
My brother told me to put how I pronounce people's names at the end of the story *shrug* so:
Myike: M-yeek-kay
Saira: Say-ra
Yah, anyways. Hope you all are having a great summer! Until next time . . .